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Hi Can anyone help me with a puzzle. My grandfather was James Wilkins b @1905 in Burnley, my grandmother was Doris Parkinson b 1911, Burnley. I know that they did not get married until @ 1950, after having 5 children. I also know that James originally married a lady, Edith Wilson in 1927. I have recently been led to believe that James and Edith had at least 2 children (they would be my father's half siblings). Does anyone have any info on Wilkins children born 1927-1933. I think the first child was called Mona. Any help or suggestions would be great

Sue, are you aware that most of the Wilkins family in Burnley originated from Somerset. If you go onto the 1851 census and start tracking Isaac Button b 1817 in Cimmiston, who with his wife Ann and family were living in Coxhoe County Durham. John Wilkins who married Elizabeth Button (Isaac's daughter) lived in Brancepath which is only a few miles from Coxhoe and moved to Burnley between 1871 and 81. You may already have found this info, if you go onto This is LancashireCommunigate and find Arthers Family History Page there is some interesting info on the family. I am married to a descendent of Thomas Henry b 1875, could he be an uncle to your James and did the family live in the Stoneyholme area? My 98yr old mother in law says their was a branch of the Wilkins family there whom nobody bothered with!!!

Hi did your Thomas Henry marry Minnie Devonport and Elizabeth Townsend. If so then he is the brother of my gt grandfather Richard Wilkins. I don't know if you use genes reunited but if you do you could see my full tree of Wilkins. With regard to a branch of the Wilkins being ignored it is possibly my grandad's side (James Wilkins b 1905 father to my dad James). My grandad married an Edith Wilson in 1927 she must have been pregnant at the time as their baby was born 2 months later (Mona Wilkins, it is she who I am trying to trace the descendants of, my father never knew that he had a step sister), I don't know what happened next but by 1935 James (grandad) was living with Doris Parkinson with whom he had 5 children (as far as I know Edith 1st wife, hadn't died during this time). One of the children, Tony, my dad's brother had downs syndrome and didn't survive long. My grandad James didn't marry Doris until 1950 (again this is something we have only just found out). I am told that Edith Wilson and, I think, my grandad were Catholics, so divorce was out of the question even though James must have left his wife to go and live with my grandma Doris. I have been in touch with Arthur Wilkins and even he didn't know that my grandad (Arthur's uncle) had been married before and had a child. I would love to know what happened to Mona Wilkins, if she ever married and had children.

Small world eh! Yes they are brothers, Thomas Henry was born 1875 in Whitton Gilbert Durham, his great great granddaughter, my daughter lives all of two miles away, Richard was born as you know 1878 in Burnley. In 1960 my brother married a Jean Parkinson, she and her parents are both deceased but my brother may know the name of her parents. Jean if alive would have been in her late 60's, would this date tally with Mona? Will speak to him and check. I do have a wedding photo to compare with any likeness you may have, I will check if my brother has any objections ot E mailing it to you. The photograph Arthur has on his site of Fred could be my late father in law, the likeness is uncanny. My mother in law is with me at present, she will be intrigued by this new news.

Yes, it is a small world. There is a photo on Arthurs website of my grandad James Wilkins and his wife Doris Parkinson, they are with another couple in a pub (I think Arthur has named the man as Richard Wilkins by mistake). I wonder if Jean Parkinson is any relative of Doris Parkinson. If I were to send you direct my gedcom family tree, would you be able to open it. I am today updating the tree and I could forward it to you (if you feel you could let me have your direct e mail address). Do you live in Burnley?. Myself, mum and dad (James Wilkins b 1936) and brother left Burnley in 1969, living in Bolton and Charnock Richard, I now live in Scotland near to Montrose (mum and dad moved here 4 years ago), my brother Gordon Wilkins and his family emigrated to Canada last year. This is why I find it difficult to get back to Lancashire to check records. My dad's family (Wilkins) still live in Burnley. All I know about Mona Wilkins is that she was born in 1927 to James and Edith (nee Wilson) and Mona has only emerged in the last few months (a bit of a shock). Are you a Wilkins? If you wish to e mail me direct my address is sealrescuehorne@sky.com. Contact you soon

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